Dr. Carlaina Bell Named Head of Middle School

Montclair Kimberley Academy is thrilled to share the news that Dr. Carlaina Bell has accepted the the position of Head of Middle School and will no longer serve as our Interim Head of Campus. Dr. Bell was previously the Assistant Head of Middle School for eight years and is well-known and respected among her Middle School colleagues and students.

After completing her Masters from the Education School at Harvard University in 1993, Carlaina taught high school Spanish in Massachusetts and California as well as worked for the non-profit organization, Inroads. Her daughter, Alina Smith ’20, is an MKA Lifer and currently attends Lehigh University where she plays Division 1 volleyball, a sport that she discovered as a freshman at the Upper School.

Initially hired at MKA as a Spanish teacher, Carlaina has since held the roles of Grade Dean, World Language Department Chair, Associate Director of Curriculum and Professional Development, and ultimately Assistant Head of School for Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism. Carlaina has always been passionate about building relationships, creating learning opportunities, and mentoring faculty to become leaders. She had the opportunity to examine leadership closely as she completed the doctorate program at Seton Hall University where her dissertation focused on department chair and curricular leadership at the middle school level.

Carlaina has led MKA’s Strategic Initiative to make the curriculum more multicultural by building a collaborative learning community that is centered on research, pedagogical best practices, and student and teacher input. She is focused on helping students and colleagues find their voices and tap into their power enabling them to affect change. She shared, “It is both a challenge and an opportunity to be a leader in education because it is a job that is always shifting as we prepare young people to excel in a world that is ever-changing. At the core of my educational philosophy is the idea that all children deserve to be seen, heard, valued, and understood within all aspects of their school community. I welcome the opportunity to engage with the faculty, students, and families in new ways to deliver a transformational and holistic educational experience that carries forward MKA’s Mission.”